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Citizen group wins $280,000 feasibility grant for Coal Creek rewilding; Lewis County gets double‑A woody‑biomass rating
Summary
Citizen organizers and American Rivers received $280,000 from the Chehalis Basin office for a Coal Creek feasibility study; Bob Russell said a recent "double‑A" rating indicates more than 1,000,000 green tons of woody biomass are available within 75 miles, sparking business interest.
Bob Russell, a Lewis County resident and frequent commenter, briefed commissioners on two local projects during the public comment period on Jan. 14, 2025. He said citizen groups and American Rivers received $280,000 from the office of the Chehalis Basin to fund a feasibility study for a Coal Creek restoration project between the fairgrounds and nearby wetlands.
"As you might guess, it's a very complicated project," Russell said, describing plans to "rewild" an 80‑acre wetland and restore Coal Creek between the fairgrounds and Sunbirds. He said the funding will support a feasibility study that the citizen group and American Rivers are coordinating.
Russell also reported that Lewis County received a double‑A rating for woody biomass, estimating more than 1,000,000 green tons available within 75 miles of Chehalis and Centralia. "What that has done is sparked interest in the business community," he said, noting that six different sectors of the bioeconomy have expressed interest over the past year.
Russell said both projects are ongoing and that he expects to provide further updates to the commissioners as plans and business interest develop.
